Development of IoT-Based Portable Power Quality Monitoring on Microgrids by Enhancing Protection Features

The need for small-scale renewable energy generation is predicted to increase. Distributed energy production, in general, can be more profitable due to the cost of distribution and use of energy storage, especially from the microgrid. However, the utility and consumers face difficulties maintaining demand imbalance, frequent load-shedding, and a drop in power quality. To address this issue, a portable power quality meter and protection based on the Internet of Things (IoT) for low-voltage distribution are proposed. The proposed prototype has several advantages. First, the procedure for implementing a portable IoT-based power meter with power quality and protection features for residential networks. Compared to other devices, this type has the advantages of power quality measurement, such as power factor, frequency, and harmonics. Second, an approach is proposed device with a parallel function in maintaining network security and quality. This increases the advantage of monitoring loads connected to the grid. Third, perform IoT power monitoring devices that provide notifications in real-time. Fourth, an experiment using a power meter on a microgrid connected to renewable energy combines a LiFePO4 battery and methanol to get the maximum benefit from green energy. The test results found that the IoT model can work reliably, where access to monitoring can be done via the website. The smart meter consists of a voltage transformer, current transformer, and microcontroller unit with an embedded communication module. The existence of more affordable monitoring and protection tools can increase the user’s opportunity to gain profitability.